Description of the variety
Mid-season indeterminate variety. Suitable for growing in greenhouse conditions. In regions with hot climates, good harvests are obtained when planted in open beds. In warm, dry summers, the fruits ripen faster, and therefore some farmers classify the variety as early ripening. Suitable for growing in central Russia.
Tomatoes of this variety come in two colors - pink and orange.
Distinctive features
The plant is classified as a tall variety. The height of the bushes reaches 2-2.5 m in greenhouses, in open ground - 1.2-1.8 m. The bush is moderately leafy, with medium-sized dark green leaves. An average of 4-6 fruits ripen on one cluster. Ripening begins simultaneously on days 95-116.
Fruit characteristics and yield
The berries are red-pink or orange in color with soft, sugary pulp and a small amount of seeds. The coloring is even, there are no spots or streaks. The skin is smooth and thin, but the fruits do not crack during transportation. The weight of the fruit is 150-300 g, but with proper care it can reach 500-600 g.
According to the taste characteristics, the tomatoes are sweet, with a slight sourness.
The yield, as manufacturers claim, is up to 8 kg of fruit per plant.
Large-fruited strawberries - variety "Gigantella-Maxima"
A Dutch strawberry variety that has been proven over the years and has won many fans. If agricultural techniques are followed, it has a high yield - up to 1 kg per bush. The berries retain their taste even when stored frozen for a long time.
- Ripening period – medium-late
- Berry weight – average – 70 g, first berries 100-120 g
- Berry color – bright red
- Strawberry taste – sweet, with strawberry notes, the flesh is dense, juicy
- Berry shape – flat-round
- Bush – tall, 50 cm, powerful, about 60 cm in diameter (planting pattern 60x60 cm)
Large-fruited strawberries – variety “Gigantella-Maxima”
Gigantella Maxima tolerates drought well. Frost-resistant, copes with frosts down to -16 °C. But to obtain decent yields, it requires high agricultural technology and intense lighting. Requires mandatory treatments against fungal diseases and fertilizing.
Not afraid of transplants throughout the entire season. It grows and bears fruit in one place for 4 years.
How to grow seedlings
When planting in a greenhouse, the seedling method of cultivation is recommended; in open ground in warm regions, you can plant seeds. Seeds are planted for seedlings in early to mid-March. Let's look at how grains are prepared for seedlings.
Seed preparation
First of all, calibration is carried out - suitable grains are selected. The seeds are poured out and examined. Seeds suitable for planting should be large, even, and not empty to the touch. Light, uneven, hollow seeds are discarded.
Selected grains are placed in a saline solution: a tablespoon of salt is dissolved in a glass of water. The duration of the procedure is 15-20 minutes. Seeds that have sunk to the bottom are selected for planting, and those that have floated to the surface are selected for discard.
Next, the seeds are heated by placing them on a cotton cloth on a radiator. There the seeds are kept for 1.5 to 2 days.
At the next stage of preparation, the planting material is disinfected. To do this, prepare a 1% solution of potassium permanganate and place the grains in it for 15-20 minutes. Maximum procedure time – 45 minutes
Important! Potassium permanganate will destroy pathogens that live on the surface of the seeds. It does not affect diseases whose pathogens are inside the grain.
After disinfection, the seeds are washed with warm running water.
Treating purchased seeds is not necessary; this procedure has already been carried out during packaging. However, if the planting material is obtained from last year's tomatoes, disinfection is necessary.
Next comes an interesting stage - bubbling. Many gardeners skip it because it requires constant presence. But in vain - it saturates the grains with oxygen, which increases the germination of seeds and the viability of seedlings.
In industrial conditions, bubbling is carried out with special equipment. At home, for this purpose, the seeds are placed in water heated to +26 - +30 degrees and stirred every hour. The duration of the procedure is 15-18 hours.
Important! If germs appear on the grains, stop bubbling.
Afterwards, the planting material is soaked in water or biostimulants. The grains are placed in a liquid at a temperature of at least +20 degrees for 12 hours. Popular biostimulating drugs among Russian summer residents are Zircon, Epin, and Immunocytophyte.
The next stage is hardening. The seeds are wrapped in cotton cloth and plastic film and placed for 8 hours in a cool place where the temperature does not rise above +2 degrees. The minimum air temperature is -3 degrees. The seeds are removed and kept at room temperature for 8 hours. The procedure is repeated up to 6 times.
Note! This is a complex procedure, and if carried out incorrectly, there is a high chance of destroying the seeds, so novice gardeners are not recommended to harden off all the seed.
The last stage before planting is seed germination. Cotton cloth or gauze is moistened with warm water and laid out on a flat dish (saucer, Petri dish, lid). The seeds are laid out on top and covered with a layer of cloth. To germinate the grains, place them in a warm (+25-30 degrees) place and make sure that the fabric always remains moist. When a sprout measuring 2-3 mm appears on the grains, the seeds are ready for planting.
Container and soil
Any convenient container is suitable for seedlings: plastic cups, cut-off PET bottles, special containers. Before use, the container is disinfected with a strong solution of potassium permanganate.
For tomatoes of the German red strawberry variety, a universal tomato soil mixture consisting of humus, peat and river sand is suitable.
To prepare the soil for tomato seedlings yourself, combine:
- 1 part of garden soil (it is better to take it from the area where cucumbers, zucchini, carrots, and dill grew);
- 2 parts non-acidic peat (pH 6.5);
- 0.5 parts sand (river or washed);
- 1 part humus or sifted mature compost.
You can add sifted wood ash (or dolomite flour), sphagnum moss and fallen pine needles.
The day before planting the seeds, the soil and soil mixture is disinfected with boiling water or potassium permanganate.
Sowing
The soil is laid out in selected containers, shallow (1.5-2 mm) grooves are made into which the seeds are placed. The soil is sprayed, the containers are covered with film and put in a warm (+23 degrees), bright place.
Important! Tomato seedlings do not like direct sunlight, preferring diffused light.
Growing and care
In favorable conditions, sprouts appear in 3-5 days. As soon as this happens, the film is removed from the containers and placed on the windowsill. Root watering is carried out as the soil dries using a syringe or a teaspoon.
After 2 weeks, 2 true leaves will appear on the plant, then begin picking. Mineral fertilizers are added to the soil for replanting at the rate of 1 tbsp. spoon for 5 liters of soil mixture. Holes are made in the container so that excess liquid during watering does not stagnate in the soil.
Small plants are planted in separate containers and covered with soil up to the cotyledon leaves. 10 days after picking, the first fertilizing is carried out with complex fertilizer. Then they are fed every 10-14 days until planting in the garden.
Water as the soil dries and be sure to water only at the root, avoiding liquid getting on the leaves. 2-3 weeks before planting in a permanent place, seedlings begin to be taken out into the open air: balcony, summer veranda. This acclimates the plants to lower temperatures and sunlight.
Landing
The seeds are soaked in a 1% potassium permanganate solution to strengthen the immune system. For seedlings prepare the soil from:
- 1 part turf soil;
- 2 parts of peat, preferably non-acidic (if its acidity is above pH 6.5, add dolomite flour or chalk);
- 1 part compost;
- 0.5 parts sand.
The substrate is also disinfected with potassium permanganate and the washed seeds are sown. They are germinated in a warm place with a temperature of at least +23. When sprouts appear, transfer to a cooler and well-lit place.
Dive into separate pots (preferably peat) with the appearance of two leaves. If necessary, fertilize. Hardened bushes no lower than 20 cm are planted on the site.
A distance of 50 cm or more is maintained between indeterminate tomato bushes.
How to grow tomatoes
Seedlings are planted in the garden in mid-May (in a greenhouse) - early June (open ground) after a constant above-zero temperature has been established.
Important! In warm regions they are planted earlier. Plants ready for planting in the ground reach 20 cm in height.
Landing
Tomatoes are planted on the south or southeast side of the garden. Choose a place where cucumbers, zucchini, dill, and parsley grew. Crops of the nightshade family (tomatoes, potatoes, sweet peppers) are poor predecessors, since these plants are susceptible to similar diseases and suffer from the same harmful insects. The minimum distance between tomato bushes is 50 cm.
Care
The bushes are watered only with warm, settled water. With each watering, weeds are weeded and the soil is loosened. Fertilize 3-4 times during the summer, alternating mineral and organic fertilizers.
Important! Tomatoes love water, but in moderation. Maintaining the desired level of humidity is an important maintenance requirement.
The variety is indeterminate, so pinching is carried out in one stem. Tall bushes (120-250 cm) need staking.
To avoid rotting tomatoes, the bottom leaves are torn off.
Features of cultivation and possible difficulties
Experienced gardeners carefully monitor the formation of the ovary - deformed flowers are removed to stimulate the growth of a good ovary and thereby increase productivity.
If not properly cared for, the fruits may develop a “non-strawberry” shape. In this case, change the frequency of watering and fertilizing.
Diseases and pests
Manufacturers claim that the variety does not suffer from pathogenic infections. However, in practice, especially in cool, rainy summers, tomatoes often suffer from late blight, brown spot, and gray rot.
To prevent fungal diseases, the soil is spilled with a hot solution of potassium permanganate before planting seedlings. Biological and chemical preparations will help prevent and reduce the spread of fungal diseases:
- "Fitosporin";
- "Ecosil";
- "Fundazol";
- "Quadris";
- "Ridomil Gold".
For reference. Our summer residents use whey to prevent late blight (fat content - no more than 1%, otherwise you can burn the leaves). Immediately after transplanting the seedlings into the ground, the bushes are sprayed with serum. The procedure is repeated every 10 days.
Sick plants are destroyed immediately to avoid contamination of the entire planting. Green fruits can be removed and disinfected in hot (+60 degrees) water for 2-4 minutes. Garden tools are also treated with drugs.
Bushes are regularly inspected for the presence of harmful insects. If they are detected, tomatoes are treated with special chemicals according to the instructions. The Colorado potato beetle, whitefly and cutworm are destroyed with “Oppercut” or “Aktara”. But they do this only before the ovary appears.
There are also folk, but well-proven ways to combat tomato pests. For example, thrips, spider mites and whiteflies are afraid of a decoction of celandine, slugs are afraid of ammonia, and aphids are afraid of a solution of laundry soap.
Tomato German red strawberry: variety characteristics, yield
Today, the varietal tomato segment is so large and diverse that it is sometimes very difficult for the average amateur gardener to choose a variety for himself that would have good yield, would not be quite difficult to grow and would have excellent taste characteristics.
It is precisely these qualities that the German variety German Red Strawberry has, which in its ripe form resembles gigantic strawberry berries, which have not only a pleasant taste, but also a subtle tomato-fruit aroma.
This variety was bred back in the last century by originators from Germany, whose breeding work has always been distinguished by its decent quality and impeccable reputation. The seeds of the German Red Strawberry tomato have been passed down from hand to hand for many years since the beginning of their creation, during which time they have developed individual immunity to damage from various types of pathogenic microbes.
Outline of the German Red Strawberry variety
The German Red Strawberry is a semi-child, occupying an intermediate position in the trend between the tall and short type. The semi-determinate German Red Strawberry is an early ripening variety with 98-116 days of ripening.
The height of the plant is up to 2.2 m when grown in film shelters and 1.7 m when cultivating tomatoes in open ground. The key stem of the German Red Strawberry ends its development with the formation of 9-12 inflorescences, where the first of them is formed above the 7-8 leaf, continuing development through the next 3. Tomato leaves are openwork light green in color. The fruits of the German Red strawberry, formed on a flower cluster of 4 to 7 pieces, are distinguished by a non-trivial shape, similar to a voluminous heart or a very large strawberry weighing from 200 to 400 g of a rich red color. The yield from one bush with proper use of agricultural practices reaches 5-7 kg.
Cultivation of German Red Strawberries
For the reasons that German Red Strawberries are among the tomato varieties that pass on all their characteristic properties to their offspring, it is possible to collect tomato seeds yourself without losing this variety from your plots for many years.
Sowing of tomato seeds is carried out in the first or third ten days of March. Having prepared containers with soil mixture, which it is advisable to purchase in a specialized store, the soil needs to be slightly moistened, preparing it for sowing. The seeds are soaked in a weak solution of potassium manganese at the rate of 0.01 g per 1 liter of water for 35 minutes, then the grains are washed under running water and immersed for 9-12 hours in any growth stimulant according to the instructions.
In containers with prepared soil, 1.5 cm deepenings are made with the same distance from each other, where 1-2 pieces are then laid out. seeds and covered with soil. The containers are covered with polyethylene material and stored in a warm place. If these conditions are met, after a few days the loops of the first shoots appear, and after another 10-14 days, if there are a pair or two true leaves, the plants are planted in separate containers with a volume of 0.4-0.5 liters.
Transplantation of German Red Strawberries into open ground is carried out after the establishment of positive May temperatures at a distance of 60 by 60 cm. In conditions of growing tomatoes in film or arched shelters, such actions are carried out 10-15 days earlier, observing a distance of 80 by 80 when planting seedlings cm.
Throughout the entire season, all agrotechnical practices necessary for the plant are carried out: watering, fluffing and fertilizing. Feeding is carried out:
- during the release of flower clusters with fertilizers containing a high percentage of phosphorus;
- during filling and ripening of fruits with nitrogen and potassium.
A mandatory technique when growing tomatoes is to tear off the lower leaves to better supply air to the base of the plant and prevent gray rot.
Diseases and pests
Having fairly good immunity to most pathogenic diseases, German Red Strawberries still need preventive treatment with copper-containing preparations, since during a particularly wet season, outbreaks of diseases such as late blight, brown spot, and gray rot can be seen on plants. To suppress disease outbreaks, tomatoes must be treated with the following agents: Fundazol, Quadris, Ridomil Gold.
Of the pests that can be seen on tomato bushes, the following are especially dangerous: the Colorado potato beetle, whitefly, and cutworm. To destroy them, they are treated with chemicals: Oppercott, Aktara, according to the instructions.
Due to its external uniqueness, taste, resistance to pathogens and early ripening, German Red Strawberries have quite positive reviews and are cultivated in almost all regions.
For home canning in its entirety, “strawberries” from Germany are not suitable, however, they produce delicious juices, pastes, and sauces. Tomato is also excellently used in baby food production.
The nuances of growing in open ground and greenhouses
When planting in open ground, German “strawberry” tomatoes are covered with covering material for 2-3 weeks. After a while or when warm and dry weather sets in (both at night and during the day) the material is removed. Some summer residents, when planting German strawberries in open ground, form a bush with 2-3 stems.
In greenhouses, humidity is not allowed to increase, because fungal spores can enter the plant with drops of water. Water only at the root, and remove the lower leaves so that the rest of the bush is well ventilated and dry.
Pests and diseases
Orange Strawberry is a fairly old variety, and therefore it is not very susceptible to the main diseases of nightshades. However, this does not mean that the variety does not need to be looked after at all. For preventative purposes, before planting, you can treat the soil with hot water with the addition of potassium permanganate. And during an outbreak of late blight, spray with preparations containing copper.
The most common pests, such as spider mites, thrips or whiteflies, can be controlled using celandine decoction or insecticides.
The Orange Strawberry tomato is a variety that many gardeners enjoy.
Farmer reviews
Farmers note the interesting shape, bright tomato taste, color and size of the fruit. Tomatoes are suitable for fresh consumption in salads and for canning. In addition, German red strawberries have earned positive reviews for their easy care. However, some people do not like the variety - due to the need for pinching and bush formation.
Irina Dudina, Moscow region: “This year I planted orange strawberries.
The normal color is bright orange, amber or yellow depending on the cross. The fruits can be used fresh or for making jam, juices, and pickling. This year a whitefly attacked, but we got rid of it quickly and the tomato was not damaged.” Lyubov Ilyasova, Samara: “I liked the variety for its yield, the whole bush was covered in tomatoes. They write that keeping quality is poor, but I forgot the ones I picked in the basin for a month - not a single one went bad. The color of ripened fruits varies: from pinkish to bright red. Very tasty! I left the seeds. I’ll definitely plant more.”
Elena Kudrina, Belgorod: “The height of the bush is 2 meters, the weight of the fruit is 350 g, the beautiful shape is a heart. Insanely delicious, aromatic, juicy, sweet! The bush is huge and knits from the beginning to the end of the bush. High-yielding! I was amazed by my power. This is the first tall, large-fruited variety that bears fruit all over the bush. I highly recommend boarding!”
Andrey Timakhov, Rostov-on-Don: “The fruits of German berries are tasty and of the correct shape only when the soil is fertile, when there is constant fertilizing and sufficient watering. You also need to remember to form the bush into two stems, no more, otherwise the food will go into the foliage. These nuances can be considered disadvantages, but there are a lot of advantages: tasty, juicy, and store well.”
Advantages and disadvantages
Among the main advantages of the variety:
- early rapid ripening (about 85 days from germination to harvest);
- excellent taste of ripe fruits;
- original shape of tomatoes;
- easy care;
- resistance to major diseases.
Among the disadvantages of the variety, one can note the need to form a bush . Tall plants need to be tied to supports. The variety is very responsive to fertilizing; on poor soils the yield decreases.
Features of cultivation
As for cultivation, you can grow this variety with or without seedlings. At the same time, in the case of self-collection of semen, pre-treatment for the purpose of disinfection with peroxide or potassium permanganate is important. Purchased seeds do not need to be processed.
The ideal soil for growing this variety is a mixture of humus with peat or garden soil. Feeding with a small amount of river sand is welcome.
Seedlings require sufficient illumination and maintaining the temperature at a level of 23 to 25 degrees. If there is a lack of sunlight, you should take care of organizing artificial lighting.
To avoid growing seedlings, it is recommended to carry out systematic hardening. This is useful for young tomatoes. It is worth watering the plants that are starting to develop with warm water. In this case, the soil should dry out properly to avoid waterlogging.
Initially, regularly loosen the soil and apply fertilizers. Plants can be planted in the greenhouse at the end of spring. On open ground - a little later - in June, covering at least the planted sprouts with film.
Features of cultivation
German red and orange strawberries can be propagated by seedlings or without seedlings.
The seeds are soaked in a growth stimulator; preliminary disinfection with hydrogen peroxide or a solution of potassium permanganate is possible. Read more about preparing seeds for planting at home in this article. This procedure is necessary for seed collected independently. Seeds purchased in the store undergo the necessary preparation before sale. Soil for seedlings is made from a mixture of garden or turf soil with humus. It is possible to add a small portion of washed river sand; for greater nutritional value, wood ash or superphosphate is added to the mixture.
The seeds are sown in a shallow depth, sprinkled with soil and sprayed with water. For successful germination, a temperature of at least 23-25 degrees is required. The emerging seedlings are exposed to bright light; in cloudy weather, additional illumination with fluorescent lamps is necessary
It is important to ensure that the sprouts do not stretch; the seedlings should be compact, stocky, bright green
Young tomatoes are watered with warm water, waiting until the soil dries out a little.
Hardening is recommended; it is especially important for plants that will be planted in open ground. Containers with seedlings are taken out into the open air, first for several hours, and then for the whole day.
After the first pair of true leaves unfold, the seedlings are planted and then fed with complex mineral fertilizer. Planting in a greenhouse begins in the second half of May; seedlings are planted in open beds in June, covered with film at first. For 1 sq. m you can place 3-4 bushes. The soil for planting is loosened and fertilized with a generous portion of humus.
Tomatoes need careful watering with warm water, loosening the soil, and timely fertilizing. It is preferable to alternate mineral complexes with organic matter; plants are fed 3-4 times per season. The bushes are formed into 1-2 stems, removing the stepsons above the third cluster. It is also better to remove deformed flowers, this stimulates rapid fruit set.
